Collapsible crate



4,443,147. B. c. ROCKWELL.

coLL'APslLE CRATE.

FILED JULY 14,1921.

Patented dan, 23, 1823 Brian c. nocnwnrit, or carmen', Annansas. u

cotnersrstn ciaarn. l l i To all whom it may concern Be it known that l,`Brin) C. Rooiiwntn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Camden,county of Uuachita, and State of Arkansas, have invented a certain newand `useful Improvement in Collapsible Crates, of which the following isa full, clear and i exact description, such as will enable others lskilled in the art togwhich it appertains to make "and use the same,`reference beingfhad to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisapplication. l l a a `Mylinvention relates generally to coll apsiblecrates, and more particularly` to crates designed for storing andshipping sweet` potatoes and similar crops.

The objectsof the invention are to provide a crate which is of durableconstruction so that it can be used in hauling the crop from the field,andwhich is `so constructed that it `can be used during the curingprocess and a forfthe storageof thecrop so that the necessity oftransferring the contents from a field crate to a curing or storagelcrate is eliminated, thereby effecting a considerable savingof time andlabor and preventing vinjury to the crop due to carelessnessin handlingl during transferring operations.

l Another object of my invention is to provide avcrate whichis ofknock-down construction and can be readily assembled without the use ofspecial tools and is of light andstrong construction so that it can 4be`used, forshipping purposes` after the sweet potatoes. contained thereinhave been properly cured.

`Further ob'ects of the invention are to provide a crate of the classdescribed-andy `havingdetachable end walls which can be easilyand-quickly placed in position, and which end walls are adapted toengage the u seats formed on theside walls of the crate `withoutstickingor warping.` i

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangements of partshereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which` u is a plan viewof my improved craterFigure 2is `an end view of the` same with portions `broken away to moreclearly illus- 'u trate the construction.

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-section taken, on the line 3--3 ofv`Figure 2, i 1

Applicationl filed July 14, 1921. Serial No; 484,680.

Figure 4 is a perspective detail view of a y portion of the end wall. n`Figure 5 is a perspective detail view of a portion of the side wall ofthe crate. u i l Figure l 6 is a `horizontal cross-section through amodified formof crate. V

Figure 7 is a horizontal cross-section of another modification. y

`Referring by numerals to thel accompanying drawings, 10 designates the1side walls of a crate, which side walls consist of longitudinallydisposed slats 11 spaced from each other and having their ends `securedto transversely disposed corner posts 12. Adjacent to the end of eachslat 11 and in the outer faces.` thereof are` ,undercut or dovetailedtransverse grooves 14 which are designed to receive wire members 15, thelower `ends of which tare seated/,in the ends of the bottom end pieces16, while the upper ends of said wire members are threaded throughapertures formed in the ends of top end pieces 17.` .The upper ends `ofwire members: 15 which project outwardly from thetop end pieces 17 arebent against said top end pieces so tliatwire members 15 pivotally holdsaid side walls 10 andiend pieces 16 and 17 in assembled relation. l u

The removable `bottom wall 18 is placed in position on the crate in theusual manner by placing one end of said `bottom wall withinl the crateimmediately under-.one of the end pieces 16 and thenfmoving said bottomwalllongitudinally `in one direction until the opposite-end of saidbottom-wall is clear of its correspondingend piece 16. Whereupon, said'end of the bottom wall is pressed inwardly and the bottom wall 18 then'moved longitudinally in an opposite direction so 4that both endsthereof are `disposed inwardly of and bear against end bars 16.h When inthis position, bottom wall 18 is held against `longitudinal movement byits transverse construction as the bottom` wall 18 and is lll@ placed"in position-in a similar manner, the said cover 22 being provided withcorner notches 24: to provide clearance between the ends of cover 22 andthe upper ends of' posts 12. Notches 21 formed in one end of the bottomWall 18 and notches 211 ormediin one end of cover 22 are of sufficientlength to permit the initial longitudinalmovement of said bottom wall 18and cover 22.

The' inner" sides of corner postsV 12 Lare provided with longitudinallydisposed grooves25whicli` are adapted to receive the side edges ofyendwalls 26; These grooves, which arefop'en at their ends, are offset inWardly withl respect to the top end pieces 1'(j sothat the' latter'willnot interfere with the vertical movement of the end walls 26 vwhenth'same arel slid into their respective positions on the crate. Inorderto provide an easy working-t, between grooves 25 and the side edgesofend walls 26, and prevent warping or sticking of said end walls, saidside edgesv arepreferably grooved or rabj litd, as indicated at 27. Theinner sides o 25 thepostsl 12'are providedwith nails 28 Awhich areNYpartially driven into the corner posts at the' factory'. These nailswhen driven home after the endy walls 26 have been placed in position,willf'eiigage the edges thereof and hold t'lieeiid walls againstdisplacement.

In Figure"rv 6, the corner post 12?-` is provided in its outer Jfacewith a longitudinally disposed groove 29 in which is seated wire lmember 30. Side walls 31, the ends of which are ,seeured to corner posts12a, prevent lateraldisplacement' of Wire SOL In Figure 7,

the` inner'side of a sidewall 32 is provided with a transverselydisposed groove 33, h whieh is ,threaded a wire member 3 side .of sidewall 32 and holds wire 34:' in positiony in groove 33. End walls 26provide rigid wall members which` when placed in position on' the crateYreinforce said crate so that it can be successively used in the eldfoi" har''vestirigv the erop and provide a lnoe'lfdown crate" which whenassembled is oflght weight and durable construction sofaswto make itpracticableA for shipping PUTPO'SQS. 4

Obviously, various changes inthe form and construction of my ,improvedcrate can 'be made and substituted for ythosepherein l' described andshown without; departing from 'the "spirit of 'my invention.

1.1 A crate/comprising side walls, provided with vertically disposedseats, transverse end bars hingedlyconneeted near their free ends to'said side walls and detachable end walls,z

the side edges'of which are adapted to engage'lthej vertically disposedseats of said sidewalls.' v i y u f crate eo'mpris'lingl'sid'e walls,spacing end bars pivotally onncted to saidside orner vpost 12"` issecured to the innerV walls, corner posts secured totheside walls,removable top and bottom walls, and detachable end walls, the side edgesof which are adapted to form interengaging relation with said cornerposts.

3. A crate comprising side walls, corner posts secured to said sidewalls and provided with longitudinally disposed grooves, end wallsadapted to have their side edges seated in the grooves ot' said cornerposts, and means in said corner posts adapted to enter said grooves andengage the side edges of the end walls thereby securing said end wallsin position.

l; A crate comprising side walls provided near their ends withtransverse seats, top and bottom end bars, wire members pivotallyconnecting the ends of said sidewalls with the corresponding ends ofsaid transverse top and bottom bars, removable top and bottom walls andend walls adapted to have their edges engage the transverse seats ofsaid side walls.

5. A crate comprising` side walls, corner posts fixed to said side wallsand provided in their inner faces with longitudinally disposed grooves,end walls the side edges of which are adapted to slidably engage saidgrooves, transversely disposed top and bottom end bars, wire memberspivotally connecting the ends of said side walls with the correspondingends of said top and bottom end bars, and removable top and bottom wallsoortions of which are cut away to provide Clearance between the endsthereof and the ends of said corner posts.

6. A crate comprising side walls, corner posts fixed to said sidewallsand provided on their inner faces with longitudinally disposedgrooves, end walls the side edges ot which are adapted' to slidablyengage said grooves, transversely disposed top and bot tom end bars,wire members pivotally von necting the ends oi. said side walls with thecorresponding ends of said top and bottom end bars, removable top andbottom walls portions of which are eut away to provide clearance betweenthe ends thereof and the ends of said corner posts, and fastening meanspartially driven into said corner posts and adapted when driven home toengage the edges of said end walls and hold the latter against movement.

' 7. A crate comprising side walls, corner posts secured to said sidewalls and provided on their inner faces with vertically disposedgrooves, end walls having the side edges adapted to be seated in saidgrooves, said side edges being provided with longitudinally disposedgrooves thereby providing a yielding engagement between said cornerposts and said end walls, top and bottom end bars, wire members seatedin the ends of said side walls and said top and bottom end bars, andremovable top and bottom walls.

8. A crate comprising side Walls, corner posts fixed to said side Wallsand provided on their outer faces with longitudinally disposed grooves7top and bottom transverse end bars, Wire members seated in thelongitudinal grooves of said corner posts and having their ends engagingthe ends of said top and bottom end bars, removable top and VCornerposts.

ln testimony whereof l hereunto affix my signature this 9th day of July,1921.

BYRD C. RUCKWELL.

